18 Sure Signs You’ve Become a Local
Whether you’ve been here for 6 months or 6 years, Greece – and all her crazy, glorious habits – just has a way of getting under your skin. How much of a local have you become?
- You’ve started saying “open” the light, instead of “turn on” the light;
- You clap when your aeroplane lands;
- You’ve invested in your own laiki trolley;
- You now know 5 Marias, 4 Elenis and 7 Yiorgos (and have memorized when each of their name days are);
- You fight over who pays the taverna bill;
- Not only do you know all the words to at least one song by Sakis Rouvas or Giannis Ploutarhos, you’re also down with all the latest gossip about their private lives;
- You buy out the whole supermarket when it’s about to close for 24 hours;
- You know how to work a “komboloi”;
- You’ve started raising your eyebrows where you say “no”;
- Fish restaurants used to confuse you, but now you argue with the waiter over which is the best fish;
- You have mastered the art of reverse parking while holding a frappe;
- Speaking of frappe, you now make one before leaving home, when arriving at the office, after lunch, when having guests, after the guests leave and before going to bed.
- You know the difference between kefalotiri and kefalograviera (both hard table cheeses made from sheep or goats’ milk);
- When someone spits on you, you don’t take offence;
- The traffic light turned green a nano-second ago, and you’re already honking at the car in front;
- You’ve started wearing long sleeves in September – even though it’s still 35 degrees;
- You now wish everyone you encounter everything from “kalo mina” and “kalo banio” to “kali xonespi”(for good digestion!);
- Your children NEVER go to bed before 9pm.
